Page 61 of Robert

But just now, she caught more than a glimpse of what the papers wrote about him and what he had partially shared with her of his past and the way he had survived living on the streets.

She had a sick feeling that if Jason had not left when he did, he would have had to be carried out. And that scared her. It also angered her that he had immediately jumped to the conclusion that there was something going on between them. And the words he had said to her was still hurting. He had destroyed her, flayed her emotionally.

“Idiot.” She whispered tearfully. “Jerk.” Blinking away the tears, she managed to compose herself just in time as she heard Gloria’s sensible shoes hitting the hardwood floor and announcing her arrival.

*****

“Cancel my next meeting.” He told his assistant coldly as he strode into his office half an hour later.

“Sir, Mr. Hardwood is already on his way…”

“Then he can just turn back around.” He snapped. “Cancel the meeting and hold my calls until I say when. I don’t want to be disturbed.” Without waiting for her response, he slammed the doors shut and went straight to his cabinet.

The thought of eating anything now was making his stomach churn. Or was it the rage? He had spent the time after leaving her place, just driving around for a while as he tried in vain to keep a lid on his temper that was threatening to explode.

The image was mocking him. The image of the bastard’s arms around her was making him crazy and he wanted to smash something, preferably his frigging face. The scotch splashed over his hand and had him swearing viciously.

Slamming the bottle down, he picked up the glass and downed the drink, relishing the burning in his throat and then his gut. Pouring another, he took it with him to his desk and sat, swinging the chair around so that he could stare broodingly out at the spear of the other high-rise buildings.

He had been tempted to go after the bastard and beat him within an inch of his life. Not for the past, but for touching what belonged to him.

Yes, she was his. She was married to him, wearing his ring, and sleeping in his bed every damn night. He had been the one to take her virginity. She was his exclusively. And that bastard had no right to touch her. Robert wanted to kill him for that alone.

But he had something so much better. A grim smile touched his lips as he swiveled around and put away the glass. Booting up his laptop, he keyed in some information, until he was lookingat the financial sheet of Fallon & Fallon. The law firm was an old established one and had been around for more than a century.

But in the past few years, it had taken several hits. The senior Fallon and his brother who now ran the company had made some bad decisions, ones that had cost the firm a substantial amount of money and it had not quite recovered.

It was prime for a takeover, and it would be so easy to start by crippling them even more, so forcing them to have to sell.

He had told Sonya that he was thinking of it and had not lied. He had dreamed of doing that in the past when he started making money. Dreamed of the day when he faced the bastard who had made his life so miserable and forcing him to recognize that he was now someone of worth.

But over the years, the need to prove himself to Jason Fallon and others like him had diminished and became insignificant. Until he had almost forgotten about them. Until now. A glint entered his eyes as he dug even further.

*****

He knew she was at his apartment, because she had accessed his code, the one he had given her a few nights ago. And had felt his heart pumping hard. He had expected her to go to her place and had no idea what he would have done if she had taken that route. But she was home.

Whatever else was happening between them, she had chosen to go to his place instead of hers, but he could not face her, not yet. He was all sorts of crazy and jumbled up inside. And he did not want to argue with her again. He was also hurting and infuriated that his plans for the evening had gone to shit.

The flowers, the candles, the wine, followed by mind-blowing sex had been destroyed and he along with them. So, he dallied at the office, even after his meetings were done with and he had nothing else to do. He had found work to occupy himself with and was armed with enough information about the law firm to do some major damage.

But he could not put off going home any longer. He was tired and angry and hungry. He had not bothered with food, not even to call down to the kitchen and have them send something up.

*****

Sonya knew when he came in. She had braced herself for another showdown and was determined not to call to find out where he was.

A glance at the clock showed that it was going on 8:00 pm but she was damned if she was going to ask where he had been. She had spent the time stewing and steaming. He was in the wrong.

He owed her and Jason apologies and she was going to demand that he apologized, even knowing he would never stoop that low. He might apologize to her, but to Jason? Never.

It disturbed her that he was still hurting from what was done to him in the past and she hated her part in the entire thing. Seeing Jason today, looking at him, made her realize that she felt nothing for him.

And that she had fallen head over heels in love with Robert. She was in love with her husband and that might be the case sincethey were at the cottage. She loved him! And the idiot believed that she had a torch going for Jason.

How could he even compare himself to her ex? She shook her head and held her breath as she waited for him to enter the bedroom.

When the seconds turned into minutes, she realized he wasn’t coming up and was probably avoiding her. Well to hell with that! They were going to have it out once and for all. Gathering her robe around her and tying the sash, she set off militantly to look for him.

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